GOALThe Golden Ball nominees will be revealed on Wednesday. But who among the biggest stars of the game are genuine contenders, and who are simply posing as ones?
After a season headlined by him finally getting his hands on the World Cup, Lionel Messi took home his eighth Ballon d'Or after picking up the 2023 prize in Paris back in October. The footballing world has long since moved on, though, and now debate is raging as we gradually move towards knowing the identity of the 2024 winner.
The race was highly competitive. The 2023-24 campaign was not just marked by the typical domestic fluctuations but also witnessed the participation of most of the world’s leading players in international tournaments such as the European Championship and Copa America.
In light of the year marked by Messi’s tournament triumph for Argentina and Erling Haaland’s consistent excellent performance for Manchester City, to what extent will these international competitions influence the 2024 Ballon d’Or race? Concurrently, are we on the verge of witnessing the first victory from a player who plays their club football outside of Europe, as an increasing number of the sport’s top players gravitate towards emerging leagues worldwide?
GOAL has been here every step of the way to track the contenders for the biggest individual prize the game has to offer. So who do we think will come out on top? Check out our Ballon d'Or 2024 Power Rankings ahead of the nominees for the award being revealed on Wednesday, September 4…
